Brooksby back at Park Avenue

Bradford Park Avenue have signed winger Wayne Brooksby on a permanent deal following his release by league rivals Harrogate Town.

The 27-year-old spent three months on loan at the Horsfall Stadium last season, playing a big part in the club’s excellent run of form which led to safety in the National League North.

Brooksby scored 4 goals in thirteen appearances for Mark Bower’s side last term, including a stunning hat-trick in a 3-1 victory away at AFC Telford United.

“We are really pleased to have Wayne back permanently for next season,” Bower said. “He’s a player that thrives on playing regular football and I felt that once he got a few games under his belt, having spent most of the first half of the season in and out of the team at Harrogate, we started to see more of what he is capable of.

“Wayne has experience of two promotions in the past three seasons at this level and is keen to help us to continue to improve the form we showed in the second half of last season.”

Brooksby initially joined Avenue in January, signing on a month-long loan deal after just nine appearances at Harrogate.

The tricky winger had gained two promotions in the previous two seasons, scoring in North Ferriby United’s play-off final win over AFC Fylde at the end of the 2015/16 campaign.

Previously, Brooksby had a prolonged spell at Guiseley AFC, where he helped them to promotion in 2015 under the management of Mark Bower.

He played twenty times for the Nethermoor side in their inaugural National League season before re-joining former club North Ferriby midway through the season.

Having originally moved to Guiseley in 2012, the winger scored an impressive 26 goals in three years in the National League North.